Private charter: You and your group can privately charter the boat. The Capt. and 1st mate will take you fishing. On a charter boat there are several different fishing options. You can bottom fish for red snappers, groupers and amberjacks. You can inshore troll for king mackerels, dolphin(not flipper) and tunas. You can sight fish for cobia or you can offshore troll for sport fish like blue marlins and sailfish. Some boats also offer shark fishing.The price of a private charter averages between $150 and $180 dollars per hour, for up to 6 people. If there are more than 6 people in your group it will cost an additional 10% for each person over 6. Some boats only take 6 passengers, so make it clearly understood how many people you have and how many your boat can hold. All the information you need for booking you deep sea fishing charters is here. Click here to view the 2008 price list.
Group charter: the 2nd way to go fishing is called a group charter. That's where you sign up with the walk up dockside grouping offices. You will be joined up together with other people to split the boat equally. Typically there has to be a total of 6 fisherman signed up to make a group charter go. Group charters are a good way to go if there are only a few people and they do not want to charter the whole boat. But!!!!!!! There is no guarantee that you will get out fishing on a group charter. Several things can keep a group charter from going out. If there are not very many people in town, it is hard to get a group together, or if the weather is bad before the trip, people will not be walking the dock looking to sign up.
Grouping up with other people can also be a problem if you want a specific type of trip (i.e. a ½ day) and everyone else signed up wants to go all day or vice versa. If you are a little flexible you stand a much better chance. The biggest problem is that you cannot make a reservation for a group charter. It is strictly a wait and see situation with most groups being completed the afternoon or evening before the trip. During the busy summer month's group charters are put together very quickly and it is usually not a problem. In the early spring and late fall it is more difficult. In the off season it is practically impossible. One way to guarantee your fishing trip is if you go ahead and charter the boat, but ask to have other people put on the trip. That way, you go ahead and get your boat locked in and are assured going fishing. The down side to that is you may not get the full 6 people. Then you are stuck paying for the boat with a smaller group.
Group charters are the same price as private charters; it's just divided between everyone on the boat. The groups are usually kept down to 6 people.
Best bet for getting on a group charter!
First, figure out what kind of trip you would be interested in. i.e.,
- How long would you like to go for?
- Is your group adults or children?
- Anything in particular you would like to fish for?
Then, when you have an idea of what you would like to do, email us or call and we will direct you to one of the 4 walk up dock offices. If you call months in advance they will just tell you to call back a day or two before you get into town.
When you talk to the walk up dock offices they will require a local phone number & credit card number for a deposit to assure that you will show up as scheduled. If part of the group does not show, the other people signed up will either have to pay your share or not go. That's no fun for anyone. Some types of fishing are not done with a group charter.
Offshore trolling for marlin and sailfish and also shark fishing are not available in a group charter. I know this is a lot of information to sort out. Group charters require more work on everyone's behalf and require a lot of communication, but we do lots of them, so don't worry.
Party boat: the other way to go fishing is on a party boat. That's where you buy a ticket and get on the boat with everyone else and the boat usually has a minimum of 18 people and up to 40 people. Party boat trips last from 5 to 12 hours in duration. Cost per person averages around $35 for a 5 hr. Trip and up to $65 for an all day trip. The type of fishing done on a party boat is bottom fishing: for snappers, groupers and triggerfish. To make a reservation on a party boat, you have to call them directly. Visit the Party Boat Sweet Jody page for more information.
* Everything is provided except for your food and drinks.
Bay Fishing: Click Here
We provide everything you need to fish with such as bait, ice, tackle, fishing equipment and fishing licenses. The only thing not provided is food and drinks, which you are allowed to bring yourself or we can provide for you.
How long are the fishing trips? Half day trips are either 4, 5 or 6 hours. All day trips are either 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 hours.
4-5-6 hour trips are great for families and groups that do not have an unlimited amount of time.
8 hrs is starting to get pretty serious!
10 hrs is getting serious about that fishing!!!
12 hrs--Let's get'em cap!!!!
14, 16 hrs, and over night trips, Extreme Fishing--You are the mannnnn!!!!!.
What Time Do the Boats Leave Out?
Typically charters and group trips leave out twice a day. Once in the early morning around sun-up (6:00 A.M.) and then late morning around 11 A.M. or 12 P.M. Departure times are flexible for your schedule.
What Time Do the Boats Leave Out?
Typically charters and group trips leave out twice a day. Once in the early morning around sun-up (6:00 A.M.) and then late morning around 11 A.M. or 12 P.M. Departure times are flexible for your schedule.
*Again everything is provided except for your food and drinks.
*Weekends always book up far in advance and Saturday is the busiest day of the week. Many boats have an 8 to 10 hr minimum on Saturdays.
2008 Prices
Prices are cash discount prices.
Trips paid for with a credit card add 4%.
These prices are an average in town. Some boats charge a little more.
EMAIL FOR RESERVATIONS HERE.
Prices Subject To Change Without Notice
150.00 PER HOUR RATES Trips paid for with a credit card add 4%.
Private Charters
4HRS--$600.00 for up to 6 passengers
5HRS--$750.00 up to 6 passengers
6HRS--$900.00 up to 6 passengers
8HRS--$1,120.00 up to 6 passengers
10HRS--$1,500.00 up to 6 passengers
12HRS--$1,800.00 up to 6 passengers
14HRS--$2,100.00 up to 6 passengers
If you have more than 6 passengers add 10% per person over 6.
$160.00 PER HOUR RATES Trips paid for with a credit card add 4%.
Private Charters
4HRS--$640.00 for up to 6 passengers
5HRS--$800.00 up to 6 passengers
6HRS--$960.00 up to 6 passengers
8HRS--$1,280.00 up to 6 passengers
10HRS--$1,600.00 up to 6 passengers
12HRS--$1,920.00 up to 6 passengers
14HRS--$2,240.00 up to 6 passengers
Group Charters
4HRS--$106.00 per person
5HRS--$134.00 per person
6HRS--$160.00 per person
8HRS--$213.00 per person
10HRS--$266.00 per person
12HRS--$320.00 per person
$165.00 PER HOUR RATES Trips paid for with a credit card add 4%.
4HRS--$660.00 for up to 6 passengers
5HRS--$825.00 up to 6 passengers
6HRS--$990.00 up to 6 passengers
8HRS--$1,320.00 up to 6 passengers
10HRS--$1,650.00 up to 6 passengers
12HRS--$1,980.00 up to 6 passengers
14HRS--$2,310.00 up to 6 passengers
How Do I Make My Reservations?
To reserve your trip you can either use your credit card or send a deposit check for a couple hundred dollars. All deposits are refundable due to bad weather, and you can cancel your trip up to 14 working days before and still get a refund on your deposit. You can call us @ 850-837-9401 to make your reservation or e-mail your evening phone # and we will call you and set it up for you.
For great condo prices, visit Emerald Coast Vacation Rentals on the web or call at 850-837-6100. Be sure and tell them that you are fishing with Mike on the Fish-n-Fool.
When is the best time to go fishing?
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Red Snapper | 
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| Grouper |
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| AmberJack |
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| King Mackerel |
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| Spanish Mackerel |
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| Cobia |
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| Marlin |
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| Sailfish |
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| Mahi Mahi |
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| Wahoo |
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| Tuna |
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| Shark |
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| Speckled Trout (Bay) |
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| Red Fish (Bay) |
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| Tarpon |
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| Bonito |
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| Mingo Snapper |
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| White Snapper |
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| Black Snapper |
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| Trigger |
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| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |